West Town, Chicago
Chicago Product Photography That Works for Your Brand.
Zimmerman Photo is a full-service product photography studio in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. We specialize in commercial, lifestyle, ecommerce, and on-white product imagery for brands that care about the details. More than 20 years of experience. One studio. Every type of product.
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A Product Photography Studio Built for Commercial Work
Our West Town studio is set up for the full range of product photography: clean on-white ecommerce shots, fully styled lifestyle scenes, and high-concept commercial work. We have a white sweep, configurable sets, and the lighting infrastructure to handle complex shoots without outsourcing anything.
Most clients come to us because they need consistent, high-quality product imagery at a pace that keeps up with their business. Whether that's a one-day catalog shoot or an ongoing studio partnership, we're built for it.
The studio is at 333 N Oakley Blvd, Suite 106, Chicago, IL 60612, in the West Town neighborhood. Parking is easy. Client area is comfortable. And everything is on-site.
Studio Location
20 Years. One Studio. Every Product.
We've been shooting product photography in Chicago for more than two decades. In that time we've worked with independent brands, regional retailers, national CPG companies, and agencies. The range of products is wide: beauty, food, apparel, electronics, housewares, sporting goods, and more.
What doesn't change is the approach: clean pre-production, efficient shoot days, and imagery that's ready to use across every channel. No hand-holding required on your end. Tell us what you need and we'll handle the rest.
Chicago brands come to us specifically because we combine creative direction with production efficiency. You can get campaign-quality work done in a single studio day, without an agency layer in between.
Not Every Studio Is Built the Same Way
Some specialize in food. Some focus on fashion. Some are one-person operations with a rented space and a speed light. Knowing what to look for before you book saves you time, money, and a round of reshoots.
Experience with your product category. A studio that shoots apparel all day long may not have the lighting setup or surface inventory to handle glass, liquid, or reflective packaging. Ask to see work that's similar to what you're bringing in, not just their best shots across every category.
A studio space they own or control. Renting a shared space day-to-day creates variables: different lighting rigs, different backdrops, different setups every time. A dedicated studio means consistent infrastructure, consistent results, and no scramble on shoot day.
Clear pre-production process. The best shoots are planned, not improvised. A studio that asks detailed questions before your shoot day will deliver better results than one that figures it out on the fly.
Retouching included, not quoted separately. Final images should be delivered clean and ready to use. Make sure retouching is part of the quote, not a line item surprise after the fact.
Straightforward pricing. If a studio won't give you a clear number until after the shoot, that's a red flag. You should be able to get an itemized quote based on your product list before a single light is turned on.
How Pricing Works
Product photography pricing varies a lot, and that range can be frustrating if you're trying to budget without a clear frame of reference. Here's how it generally breaks down.
Studio day rate vs. per-image pricing. Some studios charge a flat day rate that covers the studio, the photographer, and a set number of shots. Others charge per final image. Day rates work better for larger shoots with many SKUs. Per-image pricing is common for smaller, catalog-style ecommerce work.
What affects the cost. The main variables are the number of products, the number of final images per product, the complexity of the setup (on-white vs. styled lifestyle vs. full commercial set), and whether retouching is included. A straightforward ecommerce shoot with 20 products on white will cost significantly less than a commercial campaign shoot with propped sets and art direction.
Typical ranges in Chicago. For ecommerce and on-white product photography, expect to budget in the range of $50-$150 per final image depending on volume and complexity. Commercial and lifestyle work with full set production runs higher. Studios that quote below this range are often cutting corners on retouching or turnaround time.
The cheapest option usually isn't. Low-cost product photography frequently means flat lighting, inconsistent color, and images that need additional editing before they're usable. The cost of a second shoot to fix what the first one got wrong almost always exceeds what you'd have spent getting it done right the first time.
Want to see what your specific project would cost? Use our pricing estimator or get a direct quote.
From first contact to final delivery, here's how a shoot works in our studio.
Get a Quote
Tell us your product list, shot count, and intended use. Start with our project brief template to organize your details, then we'll send an itemized quote, usually within 24 hours.
Pre-Production
We confirm shot lists, surface selections, propping, and any reference imagery. You know exactly what's being shot before shoot day.
Shoot Day
Shoots can last anywhere from one day to several days, depending on the number of products and complexity. You're welcome to be on set, or we can use our live tethering software so you can see your images as we shoot.
Retouching
Every image goes through retouching in-house: color correction, background cleanup, and any product-specific fixes.
Delivery
Final files delivered via download link. High-res TIFFs and web-optimized JPEGs, organized and labeled, ready to use across every channel.
Campaign imagery, brand stories, and advertising product photography built around how the image will be used. More pre-production, more intent, more creative direction.
ServiceLifestyleProducts in context: styled environments, real-world settings, and editorial scenes that show customers how a product fits into their life.
ServiceEcommerce & AmazonHigh-volume catalog photography optimized for ecommerce platforms, including Amazon-compliant on-white shots and supplemental lifestyle imagery.
ServiceOn WhiteClean, pure-white background product photography for websites, marketplaces, and print. Consistent lighting and color accuracy across every SKU.
ServiceSoftgoodsApparel, accessories, and fabric-based products photographed flat, on-figure, or styled. Consistent drape, color, and texture across every shot.
If your product doesn't fit one of these categories, it's still worth a conversation. We've photographed everything from medical devices to artisan food to custom furniture.
Quick answers about working with our Chicago product photography studio. More questions answered on our full FAQ page.
Where is Zimmerman Photo located?
Our studio is in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago at 333 N Oakley Blvd, Suite 106, Chicago, IL 60612. It's a full-service production space with multiple shooting areas: a white sweep, configurable lifestyle sets, and a dedicated client area.
What kinds of products do you photograph?
We photograph a wide range: beauty and skincare, apparel and softgoods, food and packaged goods, electronics, housewares, sporting goods, health and wellness products, and more. If it's a product, we've likely photographed something like it. Our portfolio covers more than 20 years of commercial product work across dozens of industries.
How do I get a quote for a Chicago product photography shoot?
The fastest way is to use our contact form or call us directly. We'll ask about your product, the number of SKUs, the types of shots you need (on-white, lifestyle, commercial), and your timeline. From there we can turn around a clear, itemized quote. No vague ranges.
Get a clear, itemized quote.
Tell us what you're shooting and we'll put one together, usually within one business day.
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